Point of View

Content with a point of view from foodservice operators, dealers, consultants, service agents, manufacturers and reps.

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For regular readers of FE&S, you might be tempted to skim past the masthead on page 4 because, thankfully, the names and titles haven’t changed very much over the past 12 years.

My dad worked in the warehouse for the University of Albany and once in a while on weekends, he would take me to the kitchens to drop things off. One day, I walked into the kitchen where one of the cooks was making spaghetti sauce in a 100-gallon kettle. He was throwing in herbs by the handful and immediately I knew I wanted a career in the foodservice industry.

Sometimes a chance meeting can completely change someone’s career trajectory. Take for example, Chip Norwood, owner and CFESA master technician for Norwood’s Commercial Appliances in Boone, N.C.

Hurricane Ian was a Category 4 storm that made landfall in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.

When COVID-19 unexpectedly walloped the restaurant industry, operators got a crash course in resiliency. They amped up their technology investments and retooled their business models to maintain their strength — or at least keep the lights on.

For many, Disney World is synonymous with The Happiest Place on Earth and conjures up images of being immersed in the story where the characters come to life and where friends and families go to create memories that last a lifetime.

With only days to go before the FE&S Dealer of the Year & All-Industry Awards Gala 2023, which will take place May 20 at the Four Seasons Chicago, our excitement continues to grow.

Inflation. Partisan politics. Supply chain challenges.

This might have been the unofficial motto of The NAFEM Show 2023, which took place Feb. 1-3 in Orlando, Fla.

As we enter 2023, there’s no shortage of things to talk about in this first issue of FE&S. 

Some people spend their entire professional lives trying to find the right challenge. For others finding the right career can be as simple as following your interests. Such is the case with Anthony Strobl, lead refrigeration and HVAC technician with DRD Repair, a Lexington, Ky., service agent.

FE&S sat down with Rich Packer, CFSP, for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of the industry, supply chain challenges and more. Oh, and we managed to squeeze in a little dialogue about The NAFEM Show 2023, too.

Mentor: noun; an experienced and trusted adviser.

Think of your last five trips through airports. It is likely none of those travel experiences were the same.

For the longest time, when someone mentioned food sold at a convenience store, the first thing that came to mind was not so much a menu item but a piece of equipment: the roller grill.

As we turn the page on 2022 with our final issue of FE&S for the year, you will notice a ride-along publication that leans into the promise of 2023. It is FE&S’ guide for The NAFEM Show 2023, and it is not too soon to begin planning your visit to Orlando this winter.

Since its founding in 1959, Little Caesars has grown to the third largest pizza chain in the world with stores in each of the 50 states and 27 countries and territories.

Supply chain issues continue to impact every product category; tabletop is no exception.

Once the province of c-stores and grocers, the pandemic ushered in a new era of grab-and-go competitors in the form of restaurants, corporate dining and just about anywhere else that serves food.

It is with a heightened sense of gratitude that I approach this holiday season, especially as I look through the pictures and read the coverage of the 2022 Foodservice Equipment & Design Global Thought Leadership Summit. I am thankful for the entire Zoomba Group team who stepped up in my absence to make sure we had a magnificent event. 

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